Abstract: A calibrating apparatus for scanner in searching for reference of absolute or relativistic position is disclosed. The calibrating apparatus includes a cross-sectional area that generates a drop in elevation and creates a border between dark area and light are in photograph. The cross-sectional area can be formed by using the rib in housing formation or creation of trench. Furthermore, a white calibration target is included.

Abstract: A dust-proof mechanism for optical reflection module of an image scanner is disclosed. The dust-proof plate is disposed at an open area of the optical reflection module. Each lateral end of the dust-proof plate is disposed with a shaft rod pivotally fitted in a shaft hole formed on a lateral inner wall of the optical reflection module. The direction of the dust-proof plate is parallel to the direction of the reflection mirror of the optical reflection module. When the scanner performs the scanning operation, the dust-proof plate is positioned at an opened position. When the scanner does not perform the scanning operation, the dust-proof plate shields the open area of the optical reflection module so as to isolate suspending dust from passing through the open area of the optical reflection module and attaching to the mirror surface of the reflection mirror.

Abstract: A hidden viewfinder for camera includes a camera body having a pair of spaced channel slots, a plurality of lens frames each having a bottom end pivotally hinged on the camera body between the channel slots and a reversed U-shaped tunnel type outer frame having a top wall and two side walls engageable with the channel slots. There is a torsional spring engaged with the bottom end of each lens frame. When the outer frame is pressed down and held in the channel slots, the top wall will press the lens frames to turn about the bottom ends for the lens frames laying horizontally on the camera body to form a compact size camera. When in use, the outer frame is raised above the camera body, the torsional springs will raise the lens frames upright to form the viewfinder in the outer frame. Circuit boards and control elements may be placed in the camera body between the channel slots for the camera because compact size but rich in function.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes a base, a driving means, a chassis, a document board and a top cover. The base has a circuit board for process image document, a slide bar and a rail. The chassis has a guiding bore movably housing the slide bar and a pulley running on the rail, and is driven by the driving means. The document board lays over the base and may hold a document thereon. The top cover is pivotally engaged with one end of the document board. All the components are modularly designed. User may easily assemble and disassemble the scanner by reference to an assembly guide.

Abstract: A device for controlling a rotation of a lens in a digital camera includes a lens connected to and exposed out of the housing of a digital camera and a motor disposed within the housing of the digital camera. The lens is provided with a shaft which extends through the housing to have an end extending into the interior of the housing which is disposed with a follower gear. The motor has a drive spindle which is disposed with a driving gear. A set of reduction gears are disposed between and engageable with the follower gear on the shaft of the lens and the driving gear on the drive spindle of the motor. By means of the rotation of the motor, the lens is rotatable horizontally, while the digital camera remains stationary, to a desired direction in order to take a picture.

Abstract: An automatic image calibration method is provided for a contact type scanner. The inventive method involves in first reading an image of a test chart that consists of at least a horizontal line and a plurality of slanting lines. Then, compute the calibration parameters according to the image of the test chart. The calibration parameters include a vertical displacement value, a horizontal displacement value, and a slope value. After obtaining the calibration parameters for each sensor chip, the initialization step is complete. The calibration parameters must be stored in a memory device for an application program to read. Later on, for each image read by the contact type scanner, the application program can automatically calibrate the image according to the calibration parameters stored in the memory device.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder including an upper light source comprises of a paper tray for holding a plurality of scanning documents, a base frame for mounting on the scanning platform of a scanner, a channel for guiding the scanning document to move along a desired direction and path, an upper light source, a transmission unit for picking up and moving the scanning document, a control unit for controlling the transmission unit and the upper light source, and a cable for wiring the automatic paper feeder to the scanner. The paper feeder enables the scanner to perform paper-feeding type scanning at high scanning efficiency. Beside providing automatic single page feeding, the automatic paper feeder also able to perform transparency scanning through its upper light source. The scanner equips with this automatic paper feeder thus able to perform dual function of reflective type and transparency scanning.

Abstract: A light source module for scanner includes a lamp socket, a lamp tube and a light shade. The lamp socket has an elongate opening pointing toward the document board of the scanner and a parabola trough with internal surface coating with reflective material. The lamp tube is located at the focal point of the parabola trough. The light shade is a curved member located adjacent the opening to partly block the opening and is taper off at two ends. Light rays become parallel after reflecting from the parabola surface and may project to the document board through the opening with strong intensity with less random light for obtaining improved scanning quality. The light shade block more light at the middle portion of the opening than two ends so that more evenly distributed light may be emitted out through the opening to further improve scanning quality.

Abstract: An optical path folding apparatus for optical scanner includes a light source, a reflection means, a lens and a charged couple device (CCD). The light source provides light which is reflected by the reflection means to the lens for converging to form light image on the CCD. The reflection means constitutes at least three reflecting mirrors which has at least one double side reflecting mirror which in turn has a first and a second reflection surface. Light transmitted in the reflection means is reflected at least once on the first and second reflection surface respectively.

Abstract: An optical reflection panel made of thermosetting plastic material as a substrate is disclosed. One surface of the substrate is coated with an adherent layer and then an optical reflecting layer is formed on the adherent layer as a reflecting surface for reflecting a light beam. The other surface of the substrate is formed with a reinforcing structure. The reinforcing structure serves to increase the mechanical strength of the optical reflection panel and control the deformation amount. The reinforcing structure includes a number of reinforcing ribs extending along the longitudinal axis of the optical reflection panel and a number of reinforcing ribs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the optical reflection panel.

Abstract: A guiding mechanism for guiding flat cable connected between two traveling modules of an image scanning device is disclosed. Two traveling modules are movable along two guide rods within the housing of the image scanning device by a predetermined speed ratio. A flat cable fixing holder is disposed on a lower portion of the first traveling module for locating one end of the flat cable under the first traveling module. A roller is disposed under the second traveling module, corresponding to the flat cable fixing holder of the first traveling module. The other end of the flat cable is extended from the fixing holder of the first traveling module and then wound over the roller and wound back toward the first traveling module and finally located on the base plate of the housing, so as to keep the flat cable in order.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing video signals and which can be connected with a personal computer for further processing. An analog to digital converter samples and converts input NTSC composite video signal into digital signal for subsequent processing. A phase-locked loop provides sampling clock signal to the ADC, and also ensures accurate sample phase. Based on a theory that human eye is more sensitive to the luminance component of video signals, a double sampling circuit is included which double samples the luminance component of a video signal to improve the overall resolution of an image.

Abstract: A transmission rope for driving movable mirror modules of an image scanning device is disclosed. One end of the transmission rope is located at a locating member. The other end of the transmission rope is first wound on a guide wheel of the second movable mirror module and then held by a rope holder of the first movable mirror module and then the transmission rope is sequentially traveled through several auxiliary guide wheels and a driving motor and then wound back onto the guide wheel of the second movable mirror module and finally fixed at a tension adjuster. The section of the transmission rope between the rope holder of the first movable mirror module and the guide wheel of the second movable mirror module and between the guide wheel of the second movable mirror module and the locating member has better tensile strength than that of the other section of the transmission rope so as to minimize the length deformation during driving the first and second movable mirror modules.

Abstract: A lens-aperture control mechanism is provided for use in a lens unit to control the aperture of the lens unit. The lens-aperture control mechanism includes a plurality of blades, each being movable radially inward into the lens barrel and outward from the lens barrel; a rotatable ring coupled to the blades, capable of urging the blades to move radially inward into the lens barrel when being turned in a first direction and outward from the lens barrel when being turned in a second direction; and a power driver for driving the rotatable ring to turn in a specified direction by a specified angular displacement so as to move the blades to a specific radial position to define a specific aperture for the lens unit. The inner end of each of the blades is formed in a concave shape or a curved haft-cutaway portion. When combined, the inner ends of the blades can define a near-circular aperture for the lens unit.

Abstract: An imaging cartridge for a computer system, which is installed in a computer system to facilitate continuous document conveying process without any removable solid document cassette and additional document positioning process, comprises a cartridge housing for accommodating required imaging components; a roller-type document feeding unit, located at one side of the cartridge housing for carrying out continuous document conveying in and out operation of the imaging cartridge; a driving unit, located inside the cartridge housing for driving the document feeding unit; and a scanning unit, located inside the cartridge housing with a distance to the document feeding unit, for converting the imaging data into electrical signals.

Abstract: An optical scanner with adjustable resolution includes a casing, an optical path means, a driving means and a movable motor. The casing has a scanning path for the optical path means reciprocally moving therein for scanning. The driving means includes a belt-pulley means and a first friction wheel. The motor has an output shaft upon which a second friction wheel is mounted. The second friction wheel makes contact with the first friction wheel for driving the belt-pulley means to move the optical path means to perform scanning. The movable motor may change contact position between the first and second friction wheel and consequently change moving speed of the optical path means. As a result, the resolution of the scanner may be changed and adjusted.

Abstract: A skew correction apparatus for cut-sheet paper feeding used in office machines such as optical scanners, printers and copiers. It includes a C-shaped paper guide surrounding a drive roller to form a paper passage therebetween. At one end of the paper guide, there is a concave groove and a slanted slot which holds an elastic plastic flap therein. The flap is spaced from a pinch roller which makes contact with the drive roller for feeding a sheet of paper from the paper passage to a working station for performing a desired work such as scanning, printing, and copying. The flap has a depending tongue to stop a skewed leading edge of a sheet of paper. The paper buckles behind the skewed leading edge caused by the rotating drive roller and is held in the concave groove until the trailing edge of the skewed paper reaches the flap. The leading edge thus is aligned properly without skew and pushes and deflects the tongue and moves to the pinch roller and the drive roller which move the paper to the working station.

Abstract: The lens switch apparatus of present invention comprises lens mounts, lenses, a carrier, rotating axes, at least one belt, gears, motion mechanisms and the power sources. The lens mounts include the first lens mount and the second lens mount. Several lenses are positioned on the lens mounts. The carrier, on which the above lens and the lens mounts are positioned, serves as the plate to move the lens. The motion mechanism, which further includes the first motion mechanism and the second motion mechanism. The first motion mechanism move the carrier toward the first direction to focus lens properly. Besides, the second motion mechanism move the first motion mechanism toward the second direction to align lens to the optical axis. The rotating axis, which comprises the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis. Through the first rotating axis, the first lens mount is coupled to the carrier. Similarly, through the second rotating axis, the second lens mount is coupled to the carrier.

Abstract: A contact image sensor is received and held in a holder slidably mounted on a rectangular lower frame and is disposed in parallel to the two short sides of the lower frame to pick up the image of a detection object placed on the transparent plate mounted on a rectangular upper frame. A rod-like guiding member having two ends respectively mounted on the center of the two short sides of the lower frame, disposed orthogonal to the longitudinal holder, for guiding the movement of the holder is provided. A connecting member slidably mounted on the guiding member and detachably connected to the holder near the center thereof is provided. A biasing member for biasing the holder upwardly, disposed between the connecting member and the holder is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention propose a driving apparatus for an image processing system. A DC motor with a feedback controlling system is utilized as the driving apparatus. With the design of the present invention, the accuracy of the position control can be increased and the prior art problem of missing steps and unequalled steps can be eliminated. The driving apparatus of the present invention includes a DC motor, a position detecting device, an error counter, a controlling circuit, and a driving circuit. The position detecting device is employed for detecting positions of the DC motor in order to generate feedback signals. The error counter is responsive to input signals and the feedback signals for generating error signals. The controlling circuit is responsive to the error signals for controlling the DC motor. The driving circuit is responsive to the controlling circuit for driving the DC motor.